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Insider UK
Insider UK
Technology
Peter A Walker

Record number of tech vacancies in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the UK region with the fifth greatest number of tech vacancies, with well over 20,000 roles opened by employers between May 2021 and May 2022.

Nonetheless, there are currently more people employed in Edinburgh’s tech sector than ever - 67,500 in 2022, up from 27,200 at the end of 2021.

This is according to the latest Tech Nation report on the Global Talent Visa, which also found that the capital's tech sector is valued at $6.4bn - up from $5.6bn last year - and has received $187m in venture capital investment in the first half of 2022 - eclipsing the $186m received in 2021 overall.

The research also showed that 18% of all UK tech companies are founded by (at least one) non-UK national.

These non-UK founders are accelerating the growth of the tech sector across the UK, with tech companies founded by non-UK nationals raising almost 23% of all UK tech investment (£8bn) in 2021.

Almost 25% of the more than 2,500 individuals endorsed for the Tech Nation Global Talent Visa are founders, and the majority are high-value employees working to drive the UK’s tech sector forward.

Almost 40% of all Tech Nation Global Talent Visa endorsees are working in non-technical, tech roles and over a quarter of people endorsed for the visa are working in emerging areas of UK tech, such as artificial intelligence, cyber security and big data.

Tech Nation has been designated by the Home Office to endorse applications for the Global Talent Visa since 2014. It has now received more than 5,000 applications from 102 countries, with over 2,500 individuals endorsed.

Fintech continues to be a dominant talent magnet, with more than 20% of people endorsed working in this UK strength sector.

Tech vacancies have increased on a month-by-month basis over the last year, from 145,000 roles advertised in May 2021 to 181,000 roles as of this May.

In part, this boom in hiring is reflective of the growth seen in venture capital investment into UK tech companies in 2021, a 130% increase to just under $41bn.

Gerard Grech, founding chief executive of Tech Nation, said: “The UK’s record level of tech job vacancies demonstrates that the need for outside talent has never been greater.

“Even with our buoyant, currently well-funded and diverse ecosystem, the UK cannot afford to be complacent in our pursuit of international talent.”

Edinburgh’s five most valuable firms are Skyscanner, IOmet Pharma, Current Health, Pocket FM and TVSquared.

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